Did I have time for a manicure today?  Did I get acrylic nails today?  Did I get my hair done today?  The answers to these questions are a big fat no.  Did I have time to pamper myself, after all, I am a Riverside County Housewife?  To be honest with you, I don’t have the time or money to waste on these luxuries.  I wish I did. 

 I did paint my finger nails; however, I painted only two finger nails on each hand.  I am sure you are asking the question, “why did I do this, only painting two finger nails on each hand?”  It’s really a simple answer.  I did this because I was hanging pictures in my new home and I used the painted nails to mark the spot on the wall to hammer the nail in place.  Viola, picture in place and I am happy. 

As for my hair, I used to go to my hairdresser every three months, but now I only go every five months and I buy a box of hair dye to dye my roots in between visits.  This is a handy trick for keeping your hair looking good without spending a lot of money. 

This is my life as a Riverside County Housewife. 

Written By:  Ask Ms Mandi

I adore the term, bittersweet.  The name says it all.  Bitter and sweet, two contradicting terms.  This past month has been filled with bittersweet moments. 

Moving from one location to another has its moments.  Should I be happy for the new experiences or be sad for the past losses?  You can’t get any more bittersweet than that.  Our home for the past nine years just sold and today was my last day cleaning up.  All the furniture and boxes have been moved to our new house.  The new house is beautiful; however, saying goodbye to the past house has been more than difficult.  So many memories.  So many past losses.  So many changes.  Am I good with change?  I can honestly say that I am not.  Do I move forward when need be?  I do, but somewhat slowly and cautiously. 

My motto:  Move forward and don’t look back and as you are moving forward, remember your past mistakes so that you can hopefully prevent them from reoccurring at a future date.  Do I take my own advice?  Not always, but I should since Spring is upon us and with it, it brings new life and new experiences.  The rain will cleanse all and will soon past, allowing the sun to shine once again, while a new life grows.  

Written By:  Ask Ms Mandi

Are we, as employees, being taken advantage of by employers during these tough economic times?  We all know that jobs are scarce, but what happens when you finally get an interview and then a call back telling you that you have been  hired, but……… Oh no, there is always that “but”. 

But, you will have to take a $13.50 an hour decrease for a part-time position with no benefits.  Are you serious?  To top it off, the job is temporary and is 23 miles away for 20 hours a week at 5 days a week.  Wow!  Gas will cost more than the salary. 

Would you take the job or decline the offer?  Employers are definitely taking advantage of our poor situation and eagerness to work.  Any comments or suggestions, please post to Ask Ms Mandi.

Written By:  Ask Ms Mandi

Spending time with your children is very important.  It doesn’t matter what you do with them, just as long as you do something.  As a mother or father, you will do almost anything to please them; letting them brush your hair, paint your nails, giving you a massage, going to the park, or playing a sport.  It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you do something.  All they will remember is that you spent time with them and that this made them feel special.

Written By:  Ask Ms Mandi

Is God listening?  I sometimes wonder.  You pray and go to church and still nothing seems to change, does this happen to you?  Well it used to happen to me.  Sometimes it seemed like God wasn’t listening to me at all.  He wasn’t even there for me when I needed him.  It seemed like everyone had left me standing alone, without a single soul to reach out to.  Does this sound familiar? 

However quirky it is, God does listen to our prayers.  He does answer us.  Sometimes we just don’t like to hear what he has to say.  Sometimes the truth is too scary or too drastic.  Sometimes we ask him to answer us when he has continued to answer us over and over again, but we just refuse to listen.  How frustrating must that be for God to give us the answers, yet we don’t want to listen and do as he has suggested. 

However, he does listen to our prayers.  I have been praying for answers with an open mind for over a year now and finally all my questions are being answered.  It baffle me at times, to see my prayers slowly coming to with the answers falling into place.  God doesn’t always answer us when we want to be answered, but he will answer us when the time is right. 

I asked for guidance and strength while praying and looking into the bible, reading that I would lose everything in order to start new and God would provide me with all the riches of the land that he had promised my forefathers.  Right, I asked myself?  But he did answer me.  I have lost my job, my home, and most of my family, but now that I have let it all go and I am moving forward, God has answered me.  I now have a new job, a new home and my family, that is most important to me, is standing by my side.  I am not a “holly roller” by any means, but I was raised in the church and I have witnessed the miracles of life.  I now have complete faith and believe in God and all that he has in stored for us.  Ask and you shall receive, isn’t this what the bible says?  It is so, for I have witnessed it.  All within a  week, I got the keys to my new house, I got a job offer, I got an offer on my house (that was only recently going into foreclosure), and my husband got a job (after 4 years of being unemployed).  Everything is falling into place as it should be.  I am blessed and I continue my faith.  When all else fails, all we have is faith.  It is refreshing to let go and put the burden on God, he will carry us through the hard times.   

Written By:  Ask Ms Mandi

How do we know as parents when are child or children are really talented in something or just lucky?  Isn’t it odd how some children are just born with the nack of being able to draw portraits or play a musical instrument?  Do we ever question this or just go about our normal lives as if it were a perfectly natural occurrence.  

The scientific study to this fascinating phenomena is called genetics.  Of course our children are born with a part of us and our spouse, but sometimes a genetic trait will be picked up from a far away, remote relative we have never met.  This would explain why a child would become an artist at a young age when neither parent has an ounce of artistic ability, not even in their pinky finger. 

It is still amazing and amazes me an a daily basis.  Watching a young child, sitting contentedly in her chair with a drawing tablet on her lap and a pencil in her hand, drawing a replica of Mary Cassatt.    And a darn good replica I may add.  For all of you that may not be familiar with the paintings of Mary Cassatt….. she is widely known for her work of painting and drawing portraits of woman with children and / or children with animals.  Not an easy task by any means.

Find your child’s talents, encourage their dreams, and let them play around with their ideas.  You may be happily surprised to find that your average child may be anything but average, growing up to be another Mary Cassatt.

Written By:  Ask Ms Mandi

As I am finished with my packing, I look around the house, noticing how quiet it seems.  I have been packing the dishes and pictures, placing them into boxes for weeks now.  I haven’t noticed the silence in the house until all is packed and emptied, from the home we once shared and loved as a family.  

Our home is now vacant, like my heart.  It is hard to say goodbye.  However, it is time to move forward.  As one book closes, another begins.  I now realize that this chapter of my life has come to a close.  I have anticipation wondering what the next chapter will bring.  Life is like a book, you are sad to finish one, but apprehensive to begin another.  Will this book be as good as the last?  New beginnings are everywhere, embrace them with faith and an open heart.

Written By:  Ask Ms Mandi

This Christmas dinner I decided to do something special in remembrance to our grandparents.  My grandparents were always very special to me and played a vital role in my growing-up.  They have passed now, but there isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t think of them.  They are forever in my memory as well in pictures and even in my baking.

So, this year I thought that we would make a Christmas dinner that would represent a piece of them and our heritage.  My grandmothers were from Wales and Norway.  My grandfathers were from England and Germany.  I decided to choose one traditional meals from each of the four countries. 

We are serving roast, a meat and sour kraut casserole with mashed potatoes, Brussel Sprouts sprinkled with bacon, and for dessert…. Rasberry Trifle.

Roast will represent my English heritage

The sour kraut casserole will represent my German heritage

Brussel Spouts sprinkled with bacon will represent my Norwegian heritage

And finally…. the raspberry trifle will represent my Welsh heritage.

Not only will this bring the memory of our loved ones to our tables on Christmas night, but it teaches our children the importance of who we are and where we came from and to be proud of their heritage.

Merry Christmas Everyone

Written By:  Ask Ms Mandi